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The early French explorers sailed west with dreams of reaching the East Indies, the was explored by Giovanni da Verrazzano
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The nations of Europe also colonized the Caribbean. The French seized control of present-day Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Martinique.
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In April, about 105 English colonists who had set sail from England landed in Virginia. They named their colony Jamestown, after the monarch who had approved the financing of a new settlement.
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The French and Dutch settlers developed a mostly cooperative relationship with the Native Americans. This was due mainly to the mutual benefits of the fur trade.
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The English king, Charles II, granted his brother, the Duke of York, permission to drive out the Dutch.
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A dispute over land claims in the Ohio Valley led to a war between the British and French on the North American continent. The conflict became known as the French and Indian War.